Where Nerves End

“There was nothing disappointing about it.”

CHAPTER 14
    I woke up to an arm draped over me and soft lips between my shoulder blades. Usually Michael was awake and out of bed long before I was, but here he was when the morning light drew me into consciousness.
    “I didnt fuck up your shoulder last night, did I?” he murmured against my neck.
“Not at all,” I said. “It feels fine.”
“Sure about that?” He slid his hand over my shoulder, and I instinctively ducked away from his touch.
“Its fine,” I said again. “Just a little sore.” I started to roll over, and he lifted his arm until Id settled on to my back. Running my fingers through his disheveled hair, I said, “For the record, every body part is a little sore right now, so I dont think my shoulders any worse for the wear.”
He grinned. “That makes two of us.”
“Mission accomplished?”
Leaning down to kiss me, he murmured, “Mm-hmm.”
“Its worth a few aches and pains, methinks.”
“Damn right it is.”
Chuckling softly, I lifted my head to look at the clock. “Its almost nine. Since when do you sleep this late?”
“Are you trying to throw me out of bed?”
“Not at all.” I ran my hand up and down his arm. “But youre usually up and gone by this time.”
He shrugged. “And I probably should be now. I have so many things I need to do today.” His hand drifted down my chest and under the covers. “But right now, I think most of that can go to hell.”
“Is that right?”
“Mm-hmm.” He teased my hardening cock with his fingertips. “I finally got you into bed. Im in absolutely no hurry to get you out of it.”
“I do love the way you think,” I said, and pulled him down to kiss me.
Over the next week and a half, I had less sleep than Id had in ages. I felt for Michael, since he had to drag himself out of bed and off to work at eight or nine, depending on when his first appointments were scheduled. At least I could sleep during the day before going into work.
It was worth it, though. Spending an entire night in agony was one thing. Spending it letting Michael fuck me seven ways from Sunday? That was worth sacrificing some sleep. It was even worth the pain in my shoulder, especially since the cause of that pain was also the cure. Damn good thing Michael kept some of his tools of the trade at home.
But if there was one thing Id learned the hard way over the last few years, it was that something this good was almost always—no, always —too good to be true. I should have known this wouldnt last.
On Wednesday night, a week and a half after he came to the club, Michael came home with Dylan. The second our eyes met when he walked in the door, my heart sank. At first glance, I thought he was angry, that maybe Id done something wrong. As his expression sank in, though, from his creased forehead to his tightlips, I realized it wasnt anger. Apprehension had raised walls around him, and as Dylan went upstairs, leaving us alone in the entryway, Michael chewed his lip and looked anywhere but at me, taking us right back to that awkwardness on top of Lights Out.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
He glanced at me, but quickly shifted his gaze away. Then he started toward the kitchen and gestured for me to follow him. With my heart in my throat, I did.
Michael rested his hip against the counter and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “I spent the whole drive over here from Dainas thinking about this. When it was just you and me in the house, it was no big deal, but…” He gestured at the stairs. “I dont know if I can do this.”
“Why not?” I asked. “Do you…you dont think Id throw this in his face, do you?”
“No, no, its not that. But…” He blew out a breath. “Fuck, I dont even know why its bothering me so much. But, we live together. With my kid. And youre my patient. And Im…” He closed his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair. “I dont know. I just dont feel right about it.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek. I wanted to argue that we could work around every one of those things, but…could we?
I took a breath. “So, we just go back to being roommates, then.”
“I dont see what choice we have.”
I bit back the obvious choice.
“Dating someone is one thing,” he said. “Living together, with my kid in the house…”
“That doesnt mean we have to do anything while hes here.”
“Hes not stupid,” Michael said flatly. “We dont have to be all over each other for him to figure out